Our Story
What started as a simple idea, helping people do good in their local communities, has grown into something much bigger.
Today, we’re behind the UK’s largest charity Christmas tree recycling initiative, bringing thousands of people together every January to raise money for local charities and support the environment.
This is the Big Christmas Treecycle Appeal. And it’s at the heart of everything we do.
Where it began
Just Helping is a UK charity founded in 2012 with a mission to inspire and support people, businesses, charities, and other community organisations to contribute and volunteer in their local communities.
From the beginning, it was about making it easier for people to get involved and give back.
Founders of the Big Christmas Tree Cycle Appeal, we work with organisations across the UK to deliver the biggest charity treecycling event every January.
What started as a simple idea, recycling Christmas trees, has grown into a powerful, nationwide movement, shaped by the communities, charities and volunteers who make it happen.
What we do
Our flagship event, the Christmas TreeCycle Appeal, brings communities together at scale.
Each year, it engages thousands of volunteers and hundreds of organisations, all working side by side to make a tangible difference locally.
Behind the scenes, we work with over 150 charities across the UK to deliver real Christmas tree recycling to households in communities nationwide.
At the heart of each collection is a local lead charity. We work in close partnership with them and individuals who help coordinate the event, supporting collections across local postcodes and helping them raise vital funds.
These charities play a vital role in our communities, which is why we support them as major beneficiaries of the funds raised through Treecycle.
We provide the platform that makes it all possible, from registering trees and collecting donations, to planning routes so volunteers can collect trees efficiently.
We bring Treecycle into communities across the UK, sharing the impact and funds far and wide, supporting grassroots organisations and bringing people together.
At our core, we are the glue that holds it all together, creating something that is simple for the public, valuable for communities, and a powerful fundraising initiative for the charities at the heart of it.
Our impact so far
Since launching in 2012, we've helped raise over £8.9 million for charities across the UK, transforming trees into vital funds for communities year after year.
That impact comes not just from the Christmas trees themselves, but from the generosity of the public, with thousands of people choosing to donate to their local charity when they register for their tree collection.
In January 2026, the appeal broke all previous records:
- 💚 £1.85 million raised for charities
- 💚 89,000 real Christmas trees collected and recycled
- 💚 Around 4,000 volunteers involved
Funds raised go directly to charities providing care, community support, and essential services for people and families who need them most.
Why it matters
Local charities depend on community support to keep going. At the same time, many people want to help, they just need a simple way to do it. Treecycle creates that opportunity. It brings people together, makes giving easy, and keeps the impact close to home.
The charities we partner with are at the heart of their communities, working every day to improve lives. Their work spans the relief of poverty and the advancement of sickness and health, supporting people when they need it most. This includes, but is not limited to; hospices, children’s charities, community groups, homelessness charities, food banks, environmental organisations, and many more.
We work in close partnership with local charities and individuals that help us coordinate the event. These charities play a vital role in our communities and that is why we support them as a major beneficiary of the funds raised by this event.
In January 2026 more than 4000 volunteers in 80 locations worked to collect and recycle 90,000 trees and raised more than £1.85 million for local charities, charities and community projects.
The Christmas tree collection event has been growing every year with a vision to offer Christmas Tree-cycling in every postcode within 3 years. We plan to continue this growth by engaging more volunteers, local charities, and corporate supporters across the country.
You can help us on this incredible journey, we are looking for more community spirited and talented individuals to join our incredible team of Trustees.
If you have a big heart, some spare time and relevant experience we would really love to hear from you.
Please email admin@justhelping.org.uk
